Rail arresting device



June 20, 1967 H. T. MONSON RAIL ARRESTING DEVICE Filed May 21, 1965 5 INVENTOR Harry T. Monson BY WM FIG FIG.4.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,326,465 RAIL ARRESTING DEVICE Harry T. Monson, 1311 Chestnut, Grand Forks, N. Dak. 58201 Filed May 21, 1965, Ser. No. 457,653 1 Claim. (Cl. 238-327) This invention relates to rail equipment, more particularly, the invention relates to a device for reducing the shifting movement of railroad rails relative to the ground.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel device which acts to hold the railroad rails from creeping device, which can be easily manufactured with a minimum of cost.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel bracket for attachment to railroad rails, which will also engage the railroad tie to reduce the movement of the railroad rails relative to the tie.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds and when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the rail anti-creeping invention shown installed to the rails of a railroad track.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the rail anti-creeping invention.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of two of the rail anti-creeping devices, shown attached to the rail on opposite sides of the railroad tie.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the anti-rail creeping device or invention taken along line 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of one of the anti-rail creeping devices, shown attached to the railroad rail.

Briefly stated, the invention comprises a pair of brackets each having reversely curved upper outer ends adapted to engage the opposing outer ribs of the railroad rail, with each bracket having a vertical side portion parallel to the length of the track, and a vertical side portion flush with the railroad tie, with a bolt to secure the brackets to the rail and to prevent or arrest the rail from moving relative to the tie.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, in FIGURE 1 several of the rail anti-creeping devices or rail arresting devices are shown attached to the rail 21 on opposite sides of railroad ties 22. Each of the anti-rail creeping devices 20 has two opposing bracket members 25 and 26.

The bracket member 25 has an outwardly extending flange portion 27 with a reversely curved outer end 28, and a vertical wall portion 29 extending vertically from the flange portion 27 and formed integrally therewith. The vertical wall portion 29 is positioned parallel to the length of the rail 21. The bracket member 25 also has a vertical flange portion formed integrally with the vertical flange portion 29 and extending perpendicular to the rail 21. The vertical flange portion 30 rests flush with the face 22 of the tie 22.

The second bracket member 26 of the anti rail creeping device 20 also has an outwardly extending flange portion 27 with a reversely bent outer end 28', and a vertical wall portion 29 extending vertically from the flange 27' and formed integrally therewith. The second bracket member 26 also has a second vertical flange portion 30' formed integrally with the flange portion 29' and flush with the face 22' of the tie 22.

A bolt 31 connects the bracket members 25 and 26 together, and fixes the bracket to the rail 21, by drawing the reversely bent outer ends 28 and 28' over the ribs 21 and 21" of the rail 21. The bolt 31 has a head 31 at one end and a nut 32 threaded onto the other end of the bolt,

tightening the bracket members together. The bolt 21 passes through bores 33 and 33' which are closely adjacent the outwardly extending flanges 27 and 27'.

Each of the flanges 29 and 29' has diagonal corners 34 and 34' and the ground level is at the numeral 35 consequently flanges 30, 30', 29, and 29 along the lower ends project into the ground, the lower ends being below the ground level 35.

The anti rail creeping device 20 is intended to be used particularly where emergency braking is likely to be applied, such as switch yards, where trains are stopping from both directions, downgrades, approaches to junctions (where two tracks come together) and approaches to stations where trains have to come to a stop, etc.

There is a tendency for the rails to move under the emergency braking of the train due to the adhesion of the train wheels to the rail, which causes the rail to be urged forward relative to the ground and the ties.

The anti rail creeping device 20 reduces the likelihood of the rails moving or sliding forward, since it is intended that the anti rail creeping 20 device, is to be mounted on opposite sides of every rail road tie, and since its reversely bent ends 28 and 28' are fixed to the ribs 21 and 21' of the rail, and its flanges 30 and 30 engage the face 22 of each tie, in order for the rail to move forward under braking pressure, when the anti rail creeping device 20 is utilized, the rails must also move each tie.

In conventional railroad track, the rails are held down to the ties between rail section joints only by spikes which friction-ally engage the tops of the ribs 21' and 21" of the rail, and since these spikes do not fit into any notches in the rail, or something similar, the rail is not effectively prevented from sliding relative -to the ground and to the ties. In conventional track, the rails are fixed to the ties, effectively against movement, normally only where one rail section joins the next rail section. Consequently, the intermediate portions of the rail between its ends, are not fixed effectively against sliding and when emergency braking is applied, it may cause the rails to slide and bunch up or dip at the section joints.

Also, where the track is on a downgrade, and it is necessary for the train to apply emergency braking the rails will have a tendency to slide forward, and also at junctions where the tracks cross each other, applying emergency braking may cause the tracks going in the one direction to slide and block the intersecting track's.

Moreover, when it is necessary to apply emergency brakes in approaching curved areas, this may cause the outside rail to buckle out, causing the train to go off the track.

Such circumstances as just described by applying the anti rail creeping device to each tie, and since each tie is more firmly embedded in the ground, this will reduce the tendency for the rails to slide relative to the ground and thus reduce the likelihood of an accident, and maintain better track conditions and for better riding.

The anti rail creeping device 20 may be easily introduced into the ground, since it has an open bottom area 35, and thus the lower edges of the flange members 30, 30, 2'9, and 29' may be introduced into the ground edgewise.

The brackets have the flat front flanges 30 and 30', consequently there are no sharp edges for the brackets 25 .and 26 to cut or dig into the wooden railroad tie. The railroad ties are normally coated with tar, however, if the bracket members 25 and 26 were to have sharp front edges, they might cut through the tar coating and expose the wood and cause the tie to rot more easily and rapidly.

Thus the device 20 provides a novel structure to be applied to every .tie to arrest the movement of the rails,

instead of having. only the ties under the joint serve to arrest horizontal'movement of the rails.

When the device 20 is used on downgrades, it'may only be necessary to apply the devices to the upper side of each tie.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that various :changes and'departures 'may be .made 'to' the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and

and from;the outer edges of the lower ribsof the rail and depending vertically from the lower inner'edge of'the channel portion and formed integrally thereto and extending paral-lelto-thelength of the railroad tie, said vertical side portions having their forward edgeisubstantially 'flush V with a railroad tie throughout at least themajor portion -of the height of thetie, said channel portion-of each bracket extending along; the ribs of the rail a distance at least equal-to a. major portion of the height of the tie, said vertical side portions being substantially flat and ex tending downward with their lower 'edges terminating" in vertical edgewise relation and free of one another to form an open bottom for penetration of the brackets into the ballast, a bolt extending laterally from one'stepped inside portion to the other to secure the brackets together, said bolt beingdisposed beneath the-channel portions of the bracket and closely adjacent the underside of the rail and centrallyof the stepped inside portions along a horizontal plane parallel to the"railroad ti'e, said bolt being of less length than the horizontal width of the railroad rail,

said stepped inside portions-having theirup'per forward edges closely adjacent the rail and fiushwith' the railroad tie til" References'Citd' i NI D S AT PA N 6/1915 Carter 238-327 "FOREIQNPATENTS 1 v59,916.. rib/ 924 ,Norway.

ARTHURL, LA PQlNIfl rintary Examiner.

R. A. BERTSH,".AssistZmt' Examiner; 

